Doffing arrangement



May 22, 1928. 1,670,580

w. J. KERWIN, JR

DOFF'ING ARRANGEMENT Filed July 29, 1927llflllllllllllIIIIllllllllllllllllilllllllll lllllllllllllullllllllllllli I .93 I

. Patented May 22, 1928.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM J. KERWIN, JR., SOUTH DARTMQTITH, MASSACHUSETTS.

DOFFING ARRANGEMENT,

Application filed July 29,

This invention relates to cap and ring spinning frames and especiallyrelates to apparatus for dofling bo bins or spools of such frames,Although ring spinning frames will be described'particularly in thefollowing disclosure of the invention, it is to be understood that theinvention is equally applicable to twisting frames, doublers, spoolers,slubbers, and other machines of like character.

' In machines of the above specified character it is usual to have a'plur ity of bobbin spindles arranged on spindle ralls at either side ofthe machine. These spindles are rotated by belts running on pulleys orwharves keyed to the spindles. They carry bobbins by means of springretainers or the like in such fashion that the bobbins'also will rotateto become filled with thread or am which they receive from drawing rollsway of travelers, caps, or other devices for distributing the yarn tothe bobbins.

The bobbins, when filled, must be removed and in the usual types ofspinning frames wherein no special arrangements are made for dofling, itis necessary to stop the operation of the frame and keep it idle whilean operator removes the full bobbins and replaces them with empty ones.Even when the o erator is highly skilled the frame must be stopped for aconsiderable period, the length of the idle time de ndin on the size ofthe yarn being han led. his, of course, increases the cost of theoperation since the frame is non-productive for so much of the time.

Heretofore various devices have been produced or designed for doflingand donning the bobbins but all of such devices with which the presentapplicant is acquainted are so cumbrous and expensive that they have notproved entirely satisfactory in use.

According to the present invention, a frame is provided for carrying) aplurality of spindles, which frame may e rotated to bring spindles withempty bo bins into osition for the bobbins to be rotated and lled, andother spindles with full bobbins into position for the bobbins to beremoved.

The object of this invention is to provide dofiing apparatus of theabove mentioned type which will be simple in all its parts, cheap tomanufacture, easy to operate and keep in repair and constitute-in thecombination as well as details of its elements a general improvement inthe art 1927. Serial No. 209,355.

The invention will be disclosed by reference to the accompanyingdrawings wherein one embodiment of the invention is particularlyillustrated, and in which:

Fi 1 is a side elevation of one set of spin les showing one spindle inoperative position and another in idle or dofling position; and

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing two adjacent spindle sets like that shownin Fig. 1

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein like referencecharacters are applied to like parts throughout the several views, thenumeral 10 denotes one of the standards or legs of a ring spinningframe, The spinning frame in its general assembl and operation isconventional and wel known and no further illustration of thesame isdeemed necessary than that which is given. The usual spindle rail 11 iscarried by the standards 10. The rail is illustrated as a rectangularmember but it is to be understood that it may assume other formsdependin on the selected arrangement of the spindles thereon. Upon thisrail 11 are mounted a lurality of spindle frames 12, each frame 13extending through a bearin on the rail so as to permit of rotation o thespindle frames. As illustrated, the journal 13 has its axis disposedvertically but it is tobe understood that the invention is not limitedto the use of vertically disposed journals.

A lurality (twoas illustrated) of spindle brac ets 15 are provided onthe spindle frame 12 and spindles 16 are rotatably mounted in thesebrackets in a well known manner. Each of the spindles 16 carries adriving connection or disc 17, for causing rotation of the same, Thespindle rests upon a collar 18 free to turn above a fixed hub 19comprising part. of the spindle bracket. Above the driving disc 17 thespindle is provided with a bobbin attaching device'in the form of aspring bushing 20.

A driving shaft bracket 25 is secured to the rail 11 adjacent eachspindle frame 12 so as to carry a driving shaft 26 in a parallelrelation to the journal 15 and the spindles 16. The driving shaftoperates with its lower end disposed in an oil well type of bearing 28and is rotated by a belt or tape 29 passing over a wharve or pulley 30keyed thereto. Adjacent its upper end the shaft 26 carries a drivingoonnectionor disc 31 adapted to cooperate with the driving provided witha. journal ing discs 17 of the spindles 16 when the latter are turnedinto contact therewith. In Fi 1 the disc 31 of the driving shaft and thedisc 17 of one of the bobbin spindles are shown in mesh or contact. Asillustrated, the driving discs 17 and 31 interengage directly throughfriction between their outer surfaces but it will be understood thattoothed discs ma be provided for the same pufiose if desira le.

e spindles 16 in their bearings in the brackets and the driving shaft 26in its bearing in the bracket are furnished with oil through oil cups 33provided with covers 34.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the shaft 26 is not onlyparallel with the spindles 16 but is disposed outside their common orbitwhen they are turned with the spindle frame 12. B this arrangement thelength of the tangential contact between the driving disc 17 of thespindles and the driving disc 31 of the power shaft is made as short aspossible so that the disc will be disengaged after the spindle frame hasbeen rotated only a short dlstance.

The spinning frame is provided with the usual ring rail 35 and travelers36 carried thereon for distributing arn to the bobbins in filling. Themac ine will also be provided with the usual means for operating the rinrail and for 'moving it out of the Way W en the bobbins have been filledso that they may be removed and replaced. In some types of machines, thering rail is run down. on the s indles but in the present instance itwill be run up beyond the upper ends of the spindles in order that theymay be turned. I

A gear 38 is keyed to the lower end of the journal 13 and an idler gear39 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 40 secured to the bracket 25. A layshaft 41 is positioned longitudinally of the several spindle sets andcarries worms 42 for meshin with the gears 39. By this construction t espindle frames 12 may be rotated and locked in any desired position bymovement of the handle 43 keyed to the shaft 41. I

In the position of parts shown in the figures the right-hand spindle 17is being driven from the shaft 26 by the frictional contact of the discs17 and 31. The ring rail 35 and traveler 36 are in operative positionrelative to the spindle. A bobbin is not shown in the figure but it willbe understood that a bobbin is in place and being filled with arn atthis stage. When the bobbin is fi ed the operator disconnects the ringrail 35 from the operative parts of the machine and runs it up out ofosition. This may be done without stopping the movement of the remainingparts of the ring frame although obviously the operator may stop theentire machine if he deems it necessary to do so. When the ring rail 35is raised the handle 43 is rotated to turn the shaft 41 carrying theworms 42, and thus through the action of gears 39 and 38 turn thespindle frame 12 to reverse the position of the spindles. The spindleshown on the left in the figures and which has been supplied with anempty bobbin will come into the position of the one shown onthe rightwhich now carries a full bobbin. The thread or yarn which has been woundon the full bobbin will extend from that bobbin to the traveler so as tolie closely adjacent the empty bobbin. At this time the operator maysecure the thread in slits at the base of the full and em ty -bobbinsand sever the same between t em by the use of scissors or any otherdesired means. The thread assing between the base of the empty bobbinwhere it is attached and the ring rail or traveler will-carry a certainamount of slack if the reels have run for a short period of time afterthe spindle frame was turned to throw the spindle out of drivingconnection. This will occur due to the inertia of the moving parts incase the operator stops the entire machine or through the continuedoperation of the parts through the short interval while the spindleframe is being turned in case the machine is left running. The operatormay wind this slack about the empty spindles, and completes the turn ofthe frame 12 necessary to bring the discs 17 and 31 into drivinrelation. In case the machine is stopped t e disc will be brought intoclose contact while the above described operations are taking place butif the machine is left runnin 'l it will of course, be necessarto stopthe Indie carrying the empty bobbin a slight distance away from itsdriving position with relation to the shaft 26 so that the thread willnot become tangled or broken. After the thread is started on all theempty bobbins the ring rail and other machinery (if stopped) are broughtinto operation for filling the empty bobbins. The operator is then freeto remove the full bobbins from the outer spindles and replace them atleisure while the new bobbins are being filled.

In the above described embodiment of the invention a single shaft 41 isarranged to cause simultaneous movement of all the spindle frames on thespindle rail because it is usual for all of the bobbins to be filled inabout the same length of time but if desired individual rotating meansmay be provided for each spindle-head in order that they may be turnedseparately. When this is done the spindle frames may be arrangedsomewhat more closely along the rail than they/ are shown in Figure 2since the turning may be done in such a manner that the spindles ofadjacent s indle frames will not pass across the axis 0 the rail at thesame time as they do in the case in which all of the spindle frames arerotated together.

While one embodiment of this invention has been described somewhat indetail it is to be understood that various other embodimentsarecontemplated and it is desired that the'invention be regarded aslimited only by the prior art and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a ring spinning frame, in combination, a spindle rail, a pluralityof spindle frames mounted on said rail to have rotation about a verticalaxis, a plurality of rotatable bobbin spindles mounted on each of saidrotatable frames, means provided on said spindles for removablyattaching a bobbin, a power shaft located outside the orbit of saidspindles and having its axis parallel to the axes of the spindles,interengageable means to establish driving connections between saidshaft and any one of said spindles, a lay shaft, and Worm and pinionconnections for rotating said spindle frames by movement of said layshaft to place one of said spindles in driving relationship with saidshaft while moving another of said spindles into idle position, saidworm and pinion connections also serving to lock the frame in anyposition into which it is turned.

2. In a rin spinning frame, in combination, a rotata le spindle frame, aplurality of bobbin spindles rotatably mounted on said rotatable frame,a power shaft having its axis parallel to the axes of said spindles,means to establish driving connections between said power shaft and anyone of said spindles, and means to rotate said frame to place one ofsaid spindles in driving relationship with said shaft while movinganother of said spindles into idle position, said last mentioned meansalso serving to lock the frame in any position into which it is turned.

3. In a ring spinning frame, in combination, a rotatable spindle frame,a plurality of bobbin spindles rotatably mounted on said rotatableframe, a power shaft having its axis parallel to the axes of saidspindles, means to establish driving connections between said powershaft and any one of said spindles, and means to rotate said frame tolace one of said spindles in driving relationship with said shaft whilemoving another of said spindles into idle position.

i. In a ring spinning frame, in combination, a spindle frame rotatableabout a vertical axis, a plurality of bobbin spindles rotatably mountedon said rotatable frame, a power shaft located outside of the orbit ofsaid spindles and having its axis parallel to the axes of the spindles,means to establish driving connections between said shaft and any one ofsaid spindles and means to rotate said frame to place one of saidspindles in driving relationship with said shaft while moving another ofsaid spindles into idle position.

5. In a rin spinnin frame, in combination, a'rotata le spind e frame, alurality of bobbin spindles rotatably mounte on said rotatale frame, apower shaft located outside of the orbit of said spindles and having itsaxis parallel to the axes of the spindles, and means to establishdriving, connections between said shaft and any one of said spindles.

6. In a ring spinning frame, in combination, a spindle frame rotatableabout a vertical axis, a plurality of bobbin s indles rotatably mountedon said rotata le frame, a power shaft, means to establish drivinconnections between said power shaft an any one of said s indles, andmeans to rotate said frame to p ace one of said spindles in drivingrelationshi with said shaft while moving another 0 said spindles intoidle position, said last mentioned means also servin to lock the framein any position into w ich it is turned.

7. In a ring spinning-frame, in combination, a spindle frame rotatableabout a vertical axis, a plurality of bobbin spindles rotatably mountedon said rotatable frame,

a power shaft havin its axis parallel to the axes of said spind es,means to establish driving connections between said power shaft and anyone of said spindles, and means to rotate said frame to place one ofsaid spindles in driving relationship with said shaft while movinganother of said spindles into idle position.

8. In a ring spinning frame, in combination, a spindle frame rotatableabout a vertical axis, a plurality of bobbin spindles rotatably mountedon said rotatable frame, means provided on said spindles for removablyattachin a bobbin, a power shaft, means to esta lish driving connectionsbetween said power shaft and any one of said spindles, and means torotate said frame to place one of said spindles in driving relationshipwith said shaft while moving another of said spindles into idleposition.

9. In a ring spinning frame, in combination, a spindle frame rotatableabout a vertical axis, a plurality of bobbin spindles rotatably mountedon said rotatable frame, a power shaft, means to establish drivinconnections between said power shaft and any one of said spindles, andmeans to rotate said frame to place one of said spindles in drivingrelationship with said shaft while moving another of said spindlesintoidle position.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

' WILLIAM J. KERWIN, JR.

